Improved trace-buckle



PATENT OFFICE.

W. MCK. THORNTON, OF CLINTON, WISCONSIN.

IMPROVED TRACE-BUCKLE.

Speciiication forming part of Letters Patent No. 56.638, dated July 24, 1866.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM MGKELVEY THORNTON, of Clinton, in the county of Rock and State of Wisconsin, have invented a new and Improved Trace-Buckle; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, makinga part oi this specification, in which- Figurel l is a perspective view of my improved trace-buckle. Fig. 2 is a perspective View of a modification of Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a sectional view of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a front view of Fig. l. Fig. 5 is a sectional view of Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a front view of Fig. 2.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.

This invention relates to a new and improved buckle to be used .for connecting traces to their tug-straps.

The object of my invention is to so construct a trace-buckle that it will afford a firm support for the edges as well as the wide faces of the trace, and thus prevent any liability of tearing the trace at the point where it is held by the tongue of the buckle, as will be hereinafter described.

To enable others skilled in the art to understand my invention, I will describe its construction and operation.

In the accompanying drawings I have represented two forms ot' my improved buckle, either one of which may be used, as both are constructed upon the same principle.

A represents the frame of the buckle, which may be made rectangular, as shown in Figs. 2 and 6; or its ends may be rounded, as shown in Figs. l and 4. This frame is constructed with two parallel side bars, a c, having a space between them, which may be slightly wider than the width of a trace adapted to enter this buckle.

The side bars, c c, are connected together at their ends by cross-bars b b', which may be cast with the bars a ce.

A tongue, C, is pvoted between the side bars, a a, by a transverse pin, c, which tongue has a loop or eye, C', formed on one end for receiving the tug strap, and a depression formed in the other end for receiving a pin, g,

which projects perpendicularl y from the crossbar b of the buckle-frame.

In the modification shown in Figs. 2, 5, and 6 the tongue C is not made quite as long as the tongue of Fig. l, and said tongue is pivoted at one end near the middle of the length of the frame A, and has its tug-strap eye C formed on its free end.

The tongue C is acted upon by a spring, h, which is so applied as to force that end having the depression in it for receiving pin g down upon the end of this pin, as shown in Figs. 3 and 5,

The spring h may be applied to the buckle, as shown in Fig. l, so that one end shall act upon the cross-bar b and the other end upon the spring-tongue, or this spring may be applied beneath the pivot c, so as to press at one end upon the trace when in the buckle, and at the other end upon the pivoted tongue.

It will be seen that the spring-tongue C and the cross-bar b support the trace-strap on two sides, and that the side bars, a c, sustain the edges of the trace. Thus the buckle is made to confine the trace on all sides, while the pin g enters the eyes through the trace and prevents it from being drawn lengthwise from the buckle.

The pin g should be made somewhat longer than the thickness of the tug-strap, so thatits end can enter the depression in the tongue C, thus preventing any tendency of the trace working oft' its pin and slipping from the buckle.

By having the pin g enter a depression in the tongue C this tongue will serve to strengthen said pin and assist in resisting any strain which may be brought upon it.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The frame A, constructed of two longitudinal bars, a a, and two transverse bars, b b', in combination with the pin g and spring-tongue O, all arranged in the manner substantially as described.

WM. MGK. THORNTON.

Witnesses:

HENRY PIERCE, A. B. ROGERS. 

